


Watch and Learn

by stellarmeadow



Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015)
Genre: First Time, M/M, Missing Scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-14 23:35:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4584498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stellarmeadow/pseuds/stellarmeadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He turns that glare on Napoleon a moment later, though, with full-on fury about his father's watch.</p><p>Which is something, for a man who has fought his father's reputation his whole life to nearly blow a mission over his father's watch.</p><p>Napoleon adds that piece to the Kuryakin puzzle, slotting it in beside his weakness for the girl. The girl is of little use in solving the puzzle, though--it's her innocence that intrigues Illya. Napoleon is familiar with the concept. You do what they do long enough, innocence throws you.</p><p>The watch, however...that is something to consider.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watch and Learn

**Author's Note:**

> Three viewings in three days and the egging on from Cori Lannam, and this is what I got. Maybe now they'll let me sleep instead of eating my brain....

Napoleon looks on from a distance as Illya and Gaby turn the corner. He can't hear this far away, but he doesn't need to. It's clear when the Italians ask for money, and it's just as clear that Illya doesn't want to give it to them. 

Fortunately for the mission, Illya's soft spot for the girl makes him give in. It's the only chink in the giant brick wall that is Illya Kuryakin. Or so Napoleon thinks, until he sees Illya react to the next request. At first, Napoleon thinks it's the demand for Gaby's engagement ring, but no, apparently it's Illya's watch. 

He hands it over, reluctantly, and Napoleon lets out a breath that gets sucked back in the second Illya punches one of the Italians in the throat. But it goes no further, as Illya just glares after them. He turns that glare on Napoleon a moment later, though, with full-on fury about his father's watch.

Which is something, for a man who has fought his father's reputation his whole life to nearly blow a mission over his father's watch.

Napoleon adds that piece to the Kuryakin puzzle, slotting it in beside his weakness for the girl. The girl is of little use in solving the puzzle, though--it's her innocence that intrigues Illya. Napoleon is familiar with the concept. You do what they do long enough, innocence throws you.

The watch, however...that is something to consider.

***

Napoleon discovers all the bugs, unsurprised that Illya did a very thorough job of it. He finds himself wondering if Illya was listening in the night before, the thought making him smile as much as it makes him have to adjust himself. 

Also not particularly surprising--Napoleon thrives on challenges. He knows this about himself, and if there's one thing he's learned it's that you should know yourself. If he'd known himself better ten years ago, he'd never have been caught.

So, yes, he likes a challenge. The bigger the challenge, the more he likes it, and if it's dangerous, even better. 

They don't get much bigger or more dangerous than Illya Kuryakin.

Of course, big and dangerous can't normally be felled by one single watch. Napoleon keeps coming back to that watch, keeps toying with it the way he had a particular lock that gave him fits for months until he learned how to crack it. 

Napoleon grabs the pile of bugs off the dresser and heads for the door. 

***

The bow tie is ridiculous. 

Napoleon smirks at it, even as he finds himself a little disappointed that Illya is already dressed. He gives the bugs back, his point losing a little sting when Illya returns with a pile of his own. 

Napoleon looks Illya up and down. "That bow tie doesn't work with that suit," he says as his parting shot. 

***

He barely manages to restrain himself from going over and making a pointed comment about Illya's new tie at the party.

***

The news travels fast about the brawl in the bathroom, and Napoleon knows just what happened. He makes his exit in a hurry, anger fueling his speed to get back to the hotel.

He is not going to be responsible for global extinction because he was partnered with a pea-brained ox.

"Where's Peril?" he asks as soon as he walks in. He's kept to that nickname since day one, holding onto it like a shield, a reminder that Illya is every kind of danger that just gets Napoleon in trouble. 

Of course Illya only comes out when there's mention of stealing 'his' woman. As if Gaby is really his--she's a cover, nothing more. But Illya's fixation on Gaby gets pushed to the back of Napoleon's mind upon finding out that their theoretical nuclear bomb is no longer a theory. 

He needs to go to work. And he needs to do it without distraction.

"Tell you what," Napoleon says, already assembling his tools in his head. "I'm gonna go sleep on this."

***

He can't figure out why he's surprised when Illya is already at the factory.

***

Napoleon almost can't believe his luck when he swims to shore and finds transportation, food and even a towel. It's a comfortable position to watch the show, which is amusing until it's not. When the boat goes up in flames, he figures it's time to leave.

Flashes of Illya's protectiveness over Gaby jump into his mind, making him hesitate when he shouldn't. He needs to go now before he's discovered. One man down on the mission is enough already. 

He looks at the sinking boat again, and thinks about the stoic, solid agent, so upset about his father's watch that he sees it when it's not even there.

Dammit. 

***

The chill from the combination of being soaking wet and riding a scooter is somewhat negated by a surprisingly warm Russian clinging to him from behind.

***

A rather athletic night with Victoria wasn't enough to ward off the dreams Napoleon is refusing to remember when Illya knocks on his door. He's nervous in a way Napoleon would have sworn wasn't possible before now. 

When Gaby comes in, Napoleon understands why. It's not an easy thing to send an innocent into this kind of situation. It's why Napoleon prefers working with professionals and marks--the professionals know what they're getting into, and his marks always deserve what they get. 

They have no control over who they have to work with for this one though, so Napoleon leaves them alone, going out to the balcony and hoping he walks back in on a scene that makes his subconscious quiet down. 

He needs a clear mind for the day ahead.

***

He should have known he hadn't found all of Illya's bugs, but he's so damn glad to see the man that he can't be bothered to care. 

Maybe he should let Illya bug him all the time. 

Or maybe he should be worried that the electricity fried his brain.

***

Sanders' orders sit in Napoleon's gut like lead. He knows Illya is just one Russian, and that the majority of his comrades would jump at the chance to make a million nuclear weapons and hold them over the world's head like giant clubs.

He also knows that killing one of the good ones isn't going to make that any better.

So he'll just have to find a way to do it without killing Illya.

***

He knows he needs to hurry, but the second he sees the watch, Napoleon knows it has to be Illya's. One look at the face of the man confirms it--Napoleon never forgets a face. This is the one who stole the watch. 

Napoleon kicks the man in the head, knocking him out, before he bends down to remove the watch. 

***

Napoleon sees Illya go over the edge on the bike, but he can't be distracted by it. Mission first, Solo, do your job. Saving Illya won't do anyone any good if you all get blown up by a nuclear bomb a minute later.

It doesn't change the relief he feels when Illya appears. 

***

Napoleon stares at the watch, turning it over in his hand. An ordinary object, one you can buy anywhere--it's not like it's a Rolex. Illya's obsession with it is not for its monetary worth. But then he knew that already. The watch is the key, he's certain of it now, to unlocking the Peril. 

He's just not sure opening that lock is a good idea. 

At Illya's knock, Napoleon stuffs the watch back down in his suitcase. Illya will spot it anywhere else, and Napoleon's not ready for him to see it just yet. 

While the watch hidden, the disk is intentionally visible as Napoleon opens the door. "Come in. I'm just finishing up. Fix us a couple of drinks," he says as he goes back to his packing. "I think we've earned them."

It takes all of five seconds for Napoleon to know something is off. Illya's not known to be a chatty person, but this is not his usual silence. This one is heavy, much like the gun that Napoleon is sure Illya is carrying under his jacket. 

"I guess it's business as usual now," Napoleon says, busying himself with packing. "Back to how things were, politics being what they are."

He manages to make his tone lighter than the intent of the words, but he spots the exact second Illya sees the disk. But Illya makes no move towards it. Napoleon can't read him--hasn't been able to the whole time, which is both frustrating and insulting to his skills, but something in the look makes Napoleon pull out his gun, still in the holster, and place it on the top of his clothes in the suitcase.

"You feeling okay?" Napoleon tries again. All he gets is a nod, an uncharacteristic one for Illya. Napoleon takes his gun out of the holster and places it at the ready, just in case. It's not as if he didn't know Illya would have the same orders. He's just been hoping that maybe they'd gotten past the point where either of them would actually follow through to the extreme. 

Maybe he's just gotten farther than Illya. 

"So, what now?" Napoleon asks, watching carefully. "Mission accomplished? Head back to Russia?"

Illya speaks at last. "Something like this, yes. You?"

"New York." And no, mission clearly not accomplished, because Illya's reaching for his gun. Napoleon does the same on instinct, but just as quickly intuition kicks in and he drops the gun back in the suitcase, grabbing the watch instead. 

"Almost forgot," Napoleon says, spinning around. "I got something for you."

He tosses the watch at Illya, who catches it deftly, blinking in surprise as he checks the watch to confirm that it is his father's. He hurries to put it on, like it's a tourniquet standing between him and death, and his eyes...Napoleon knows that expression, even if he hasn't let himself feel it in a long time, remembers what it feels like, but even now he doesn't know what to do with it. 

"You know what my mission is?" Illya asks. 

"Same as mine was. Kill me if necessary." Napoleon uncovers the disk. "To get that."

Even from across the room Napoleon can see the muscle in Illya's jaw work as he struggles with duty versus what he wants, the mission at odds with what Illya knows is right. "I cannot let you take it with you," Illya says at last.

"And I can't let you have it," Napoleon replies, eyes still holding Illya's. He sees Illya's quick glance to the side, can tell he's judging the distance. For a giant, Illya moves fast, but Napoleon's closer, and he grabs the disk and sticks it in his pocket, moving around the sofa to stand beside the bed as Illya reaches the bedroom. 

Illya's eyes are still bright, his chest and nostrils both flaring as he breathes. "You will not leave this room with that disk, Cowboy."

"Neither will you, Peril." The name isn't helping, though, isn't reminding him that he needs to steer clear of this danger. It only makes him want to move closer, like a stupid moth, and Napoleon prides himself on not being stupid. 

Except a smart person wouldn't have cornered himself in a room with six foot five inches of brick blocking the exit. 

Brick that is advancing on him, though Napoleon notices that Illya hasn't bothered to reach for his gun. "I can take it from you," Illya says, voice smooth and dark, making Napoleon swallow in what he hopes was an unnoticeable way. 

"You can try." He knows his voice betrayed him, sees that in Illya's eyes along with the lust he's just now recognized. 

Figures a fight for world domination would turn Illya on. 

At Illya's lunge, Napoleon throws himself into a roll on the bed, but Illya is quicker, landing on top of him, straddling Napoleon's thighs and holding both his hands above his head with one solid grip on both Napoleon's wrists. 

The man burns hot--Napoleon already knew that from their wet ride back to Rome. Having that heat stretched over him, though, is another matter altogether, and Napoleon can't stop his reaction to it. It gets worse when Illya's hand delves into Napoleon's pocket, searching around before coming out empty.

"Where did you put it?"

"If you can't find it when it's standing at attention," Napoleon says, pushing up so his cock brushes Illya's, making his meaning unmistakable, "I'm a little worried about where this goes from here."

Illya scoots back onto Napoleon's shins, letting Napoleon go as if he's been burned. It would be more worrisome if Napoleon hadn't read all of Illya's file, but he did. And he's sure Illya's read all of his as well, even the footnotes. 

Illya swallows, his voice is uneven. "Do not try to play me." 

Ah. Napoleon should have seen this coming. He's spent enough time studying Illya as he would any other mark that he should have known Illya would pick up on it. He thought they were past that, too, but this kind of predilection tends to attract people who think it's easy to use against you.

They don't try it more than once, but they do try.

"I'm not," Napoleon says, meeting Illya's gaze steadily. "The mission is over, we're both leaving for our respective countries...what's the harm in having a little fun?"

Illya scoffs. "I am not sure I will like your idea of fun."

"Trust me," Napoleon says, grabbing Illya's wrist and yanking him off balance as he rolls until Illya is on his back on the bed, Napoleon straddling his thighs, "you'll like it."

Illya studies him for a few seconds, then raises his chin almost imperceptibly, just enough to be a challenge, one Napoleon can't refuse. He leans down slowly, waiting until the last second to surge forward, his lips all but brutal on Illya's. 

The watch scratches against Napoleon's neck as Illya's fingers slide into Napoleon's hair, holding him in place, as if he was planning on leaving. He's not going anywhere, not with all this strength under him. It's what he loves about sex with men--all challenge and no finesse.

He feels Illya move, then they're rolling again and Napoleon finds himself on his back, pinned firmly to the bed. Illya is staring down at him, eyes on fire, his whole body moving against Napoleon's as he breathes. 

Then Illya shifts again, and his cock rubs against Napoleon's, the friction delicious even through layers of fabric. Napoleon wants the fabric gone, though, and he reaches for Illya's fly, getting it open as quickly as his deft fingers can manage.

At the first touch of Napoleon's hand on Illya's cock, Illya showcases his speed, getting Napoleon's pants open just as quickly. Napoleon's hand gets batted away as Illya gathers both their cocks in one hand, pushing them together in a tight grip that has Napoleon biting into his bottom lip so hard he's sure he'll taste blood.

It'll be worth it, though, for this. He half expected Illya to be the eyes closed, in the dark, never speak of it again type, but he's wrong. Illya's eyes are focused, studying Napoleon's face like there will be a quiz on every minute reaction after. 

That focus is getting Napoleon off a lot faster than he'd like. He wraps a hand around the outside of Illya's, encouraging a tighter grip, pushing up into it with everything he has until he's gone. 

He gets his wits back with Illya draped over him like a blanket, breath harsh on Napoleon's ear. It should be awkward, but even as Illya rolls onto his back, leaving Napoleon a little chilled, it's not. It's...something, though Napoleon can't put a finger on what. Whatever it is, he almost regrets the fact that they're not likely to see one another again. 

Which is why it's probably best that they won't.

"You know," Napoleon says, still looking at the ceiling, "neither one of us can let the other leave with the disk."

Illya snorts. "Since you are the only one who knows where it is, that does not seem like problem for you."

Napoleon turns onto his side, studying Illya's profile. "What if I said I have a way we can both get what we want?"

Illya turns his head, and Napoleon likes the light in Illya's eyes just a little too much.

***

The tape is easy to get out of the disk and even easier to burn, it turns out. Napoleon watches the chance for world domination literally go up in smoke as he wonders what it's going to cost him. Worse, what it's going to cost Illya.

American prison is the Ritz compared to Siberian gulags.

Illya doesn't look worried, though. He looks...unruffled, as if their little interlude on the bed hadn't even taken place. It's a little annoying, even as Napoleon realizes he's also just as put together, as they both should be. They need to pretend like it never happened, because to do otherwise would be dangerous. 

Which is why it's best that they won't be seeing each other after today. 

"Absolutely hated working with you, Peril," Napoleon says, inching his way towards goodbye. 

"You're a terrible spy, Cowboy."

It's no more true than Napoleon's statement, and both of them are obvious about it because it doesn't matter now. 

Waverly and Gaby break the moment. At least Waverly seems to be as pragmatic about the destruction of the disk as Napoleon and Illya were. It was the safest option--some things cannot be allowed to exist. 

Then Waverly drops his bombshell. 

Illya looks as startled as Napoleon feels as he says, "Where are we going?"

"Istanbul, Kuryakin. You'll need your curly-wurly shoes."

While on one level Napoleon approves of Illya being teased, he's torn between already considering it his privilege and still trying to parse the fact that they will, in fact, be seeing each other again. And again, and again, for the time being. 

After Waverly leaves, Napoleon glances at Illya, sees the same thoughts are clearly going though his mind as well, which, for some reason helps. Still, when he'd made his decision to act on his attraction to Illya, he hadn't counted on being partnered with him for the foreseeable future.

He glances over at Illya again, catches him looking at his father's watch, fingers ghosting over the face, a hint of a smile on his face. 

Napoleon supposes there are worse fates.

\---  
END

**Author's Note:**

> Want to learn more about me and my writing? Visit my page at <http://www.jamiemeadowswrites.com/>


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